


Realizations

by javelin



Category: 24 (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-14 18:39:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3421406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/javelin/pseuds/javelin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate universe ending for episode 3x18</p>
            </blockquote>





	Realizations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NorthernWolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthernWolf/gifts).



> Was never posted anywhere before  
> I'm not trying to propagate any "political agenda" or something - it's just to make this fanfic work  
> English is not my native language

“I am sorry we let you down, Ryan.” 

Exact the same moment as Jack finished to say this words, his cell-phone rang. He was instantly torn out of his concentration. 

“This is Bauer.” He managed to get out with a shaky voice.

“I knew it.” The voice on the other end of the line said calmly and slowly.

“You knew what? Now what is this about, Saunders? I am just about doing what you ordered!” He almost screamed the last sentence into the phone.

“And that's exactly the point, Jack.”

“What are you talking about?” Jack's confusion was in his voice and also clearly visible. 

“Listen Jack, to put a long story short – all of this was never about Chappelle. I never wanted him to end up dead. This was all about you Jack. All the time.”  
Saunders paused for a short moment. Jack was just too confused to reply anything. He felt like he was dreaming.

Saunders continued – disgust in his voice.

“I just wanted to have the final confirmation that you did not learn anything throughout the years. You left me behind in Kosovo and now you almost killed an innocent man…“

“But you ordered it!!!” Jack screamed into the phone, interrupting Saunders. “Do you really believe I would have even thought about doing something like this if you were not clear about the consequences in case Palmer would not have complied to this demand?”

“Let me finish, Jack. At first, I don't remember that I ordered Palmer that you have to be the one to kill Chappelle. But I was sure about the fact that the first thing Palmer would do after I ended the call, is to call you to tell you about the situation. So it's pretty obvious that you must have somehow volunteered to kill Chappelle – otherwise it would not be you standing here with a gun to his head but someone else. Or am I somehow wrong and Palmer lied to you by telling that you have to be the one to do his dirty work?”

“No.” Jack had to admit.

“So, you even thought for a split-second about the possibility to tell Palmer that you are not going to murder an innocent man because a terrorist demanded for him to be killed? Don't bother to answer Jack – the answer is obvious, just listen to me.”

Jack would not even have known what to reply to this. He felt bad and broken – now as Saunders confronted him with the truth he managed to forget about for the last hour. The whole situation just felt so unreal.

Ryan was still on his knees with his head lowered and his eyes closed. He was too shocked and terrified to follow the discussion between Jack and Saunders. As if it wasn't terrible enough for him to just wait for the moment when the bullet through his head would end his life once and for all – the increased waiting time for this to happen without the knowledge that it was not Saunders' wish that he has to die now and here – was a lot worse.

...Expecting death is worse than death itself...

“…and in addition, Jack, when it comes to your beloved fatherland you are willing and able to do just about anything, am I right? Even murder and torture innocent people - and yet you call me a terrorist. You are not an inch better than me. Face it Jack, just because you do your dirty work for your so-called greater good does not make it any better – it's even worse. But I won't go into any more detail now because I learned that it's just pointless trying to tell you anything about this.”

“You are completely insane.” Jack almost whispered into the phone. He was still not sure what Saunders was up to in the end.

“Do you see those two men in the black van over there, Jack? Oh, I am sure you do. Those two men are reporting anything that is going on here back to me. And now get me Chappelle on the phone.”

Jack, completely confused now and unable to catch any clear thought, did what he was told.

“Ryan, get up, Saunders wants to talk to you.” 

Ryan got up from the ground and took the phone. He was of course not having any idea either what Saunders was up to.  
Jack wondered what Saunders told him as for Ryan did not say anything, he just listened. Ryan's broken and terrified facial expression changed to a confused and also disgusted one. A few seconds later he handed the phone back to Jack. Ryan did not say anything and he seemed to be totally absent. Totally broken.

“Ryan, what did Saunders say?” Jack grabbed him by the shoulders to shake him out of his thoughts.

Ryan looked Jack straight into the eyes, he had to fight hard to be calm and collected as he said with a short pause between each single word: “He wants me to kill you. He said I can take as much time as I need to make you suffer even more - as he put it.”

Somehow Jack was not completely surprised by this. He looked down to the ground for a moment and hesitated before he handed Ryan his gun and got down on his knees in the same movement.

“I suppose that's just what I deserve.” Jack said whilst shaking his head. All his wrongdoing of the past years flashed through his mind – a bit too late as he realized himself. “Would you please tell Kim…”

“No.” Ryan said sharp and determined.

“Wha-- ?”

“You don't honestly think that I am going to kill you just because a terrorist demanded it? You would have done so but I won't. I won't lower myself down to this.”

Jack was pretty sure that it was not possible to have a bad conscience any worse than he was having now as Ryan had said this. He felt too bad to even look Ryan into the eyes.

“Listen Ryan, I appreciate this but you know what Saunders is able to do. He will release the virus with the outcome that millions of innocent people will die if you don't kill me now. There is no alternative.” Jack also realized at this moment that somehow deep inside of him he was having a death wish. He was able to repress these thoughts for all the years after Teri had been killed – but now, facing certain death he had to admit it to himself.

“There is always an alternative, Jack. However you are trying to convince me now to do this – I – will – not – kill – you. Do you understand?" Ryan said unmistakably.

Jack resigned. He knew that whenever his superior was determined and certain about something there was no way to convince him to step an inch besides his opinion. Jack always hated this behavior – but exactly this behavior would now ultimately save his life.

“So what's the alternative, Ryan?” Jack said with a sigh forcing himself to look Ryan into the eyes.

Ryan did not have the time yet to realize the fact that he was just spared seconds before he would have been murdered to its full extent. He was certain that he would suffer a major breakdown once this was all over – but there was a situation to deal with first. His mind was clear and sharp due to the adrenaline rush the message that he would not end up with a bullet through his head here and now, had caused.

“OK Jack, now listen carefully. Those men inside the van are watching, Saunders made this no secret. So I will shoot you into your left shoulder and all you have to do is to fall over as if I would have actually killed you. Yes, I know this will hurt but it is definitely better then ending up dead, alright? For those men it will look like I have shot you in the neck from this angle and distance. And then there are two possibilities: either they are pleased with what they are seeing from the distance or they will come to pick up your body. In this case you will grab the gun and disable them – but don't shoot to kill. At least leave one of them alive. Then I suppose it's no big deal for you to force one of them to report back to Saunders that you have been killed by me.” 

Jack nodded his head to show Ryan that he agreed without saying a word. He got the clip that he removed from his gun minutes ago out of his pocket and handed it to Ryan. 

“I suppose we are going to need this.” Jack said in a broken, ashamed tone of voice knowing that he removed the clip in the first place because he didn't trust Ryan that he was not going to run away once he was holding a fully-loaded gun in his hand.

Ryan slightly shook his head - but now realizing that Jack had removed the clip. He was too shocked and wrapped up in this thoughts the moment it had happened.

“I think there is a lot we need to talk about once this is over, Jack.” Ryan said outright but not reproachful.

Jack nodded his head, still feeling bad and still not sure what to say due to the intensive bad conscience he was still having at this moment. And in addition because of the fact that he was spared by the same man he would not have hesitated to shoot when it was for him to be killed. Jack was not even sure if he deserved a treatment like this. His mind was on fire.

Ryan put the clip back into the gun, looked over to the black van, took a deep breath and said with an honest smile:

“If we manage to get through this day alive then everything will be alright.”

This was the first time in his life that Jack saw Ryan Chappelle smiling – and he was pretty sure that it was not for the last time.

Jack smiled back. 

“Thank you, Ryan.” He was too overwhelmed to say anything more.


End file.
